The weekly sentinel. [volume] (Winston-Salem, N.C.) 1886-1887, 1887-03-24
WASHINGTON DEAD BEATS.
How They Trap the Unwary Stranger
at the Capital.

at the Capital.
at have lust returned from trip to
Washington 1 have lost nearly all my
confidence in human nature. l shall
avoid that place as much as possible in
the future.
The speaker was the agent of a large
manufacturing house in this city, and
whenever the tariff thinkers get to work
in Congress he is sent to Washington to
look ,fter the interests of his FIRM.
:. I ilIvt, had considerable experience
in Washington, he continu d, : but my
last trip beats anything l have ever
seen. I dill not know that there We're
SO many trImps and dead beats in the
country.
Il had scarcely finished registering at
Wi lard's when man in the In stages
of intoAication rolled up against me
and claimed my acquaintance. He was
SO changed that did not at first recog-
eyes bloodshot, his clothing dirty and
everything about him stamped him as a
drunken t.
Il recognized him as man I had
met q few years ago-a young man OF
promise then, but with too great fond
ness for Washington whisky and gam
bling. gave him a dollar and hurried
away upstairs to my room.
Il had been there half an hour when
there was knock at my door. and in
response TO my summons decently-
dressed man walked in. did not know
him from Adam. He apOlOgized for
disturbing me at that hour-.t was after
eleven oclock-and said that he had
met me with Colonel So-and-so the last
time was in town. He saw my name
III the register down stairs and thought
he would call to pay his respects.
Curious to learn why he wanted to
pay his respects to comparative
stranger, I did not follow my first
impu Sc and kick him out OF the
room.
After making few perfunctory in
quiries about affairs in New York, he
came to the main point. AS I might
have known. it was my money he wanted.
forget Just how he worded his request,
but his embarrassment, which believe
he said was temporary, was caused by
the failure of the mails to bring an e1-
pected remittance. Twenty-Five dollars
would help him out. His manner
was perfectly cool, and one might have
imagined that I had asked him to do
ME favor.
Il told him, however, that I was
short of funds, and kept all my money
in New York. He waved his hand and
said:
"'Oh, it's of no consequence.
% On my arrival here few days ago
S2S. He said in a MOI e that he owed a
bill for furniture, and h should take 1t
as a favor il 1 would take up the draft
and allow him to pay for it by some ser
vice he might be able to render me in
the future.
Il met hundreds like him. They
dress pretty well, and the ma GRITTY OF
them have seen better days.
:. It is wonderful how quickly they
spot stranger. They do not vat for
an introduction, but throw themselves
in your way and begin conversation at
the slightest provocation. They have
many ingenious ways, and have reduced
the art Of deadbeatism down to q
perienced bunco man points.
:. If was asked once was asked fifty
times for q - temporary loan. and
what's more remarkable, none OF tn
amounts requested, with the exception
noted, exceeded SO.
What makes these Washington deat
beats more dangerous is their frequen
DISCUSSES. Their former position il
many cases gives them sort OF hold OIL
members and senators, and they ar
received in places where the protest. iona
swinder would not dare show hi
ja"c.
g Senator Smith may introduce yo1
to one OF these persons without thinki
of or really knowing his true character
an before you have been i'll co.lEeroa
ton long he VII strike you for a loan
His story is always plausible. AM
meeting him as you do you general.
come down.
4 have paid for my experience
Philadelphia Times.